The present invention relates in general to non-lethal ammunition and in particular to non-lethal ammunition that are launched with a relatively high kinetic energy compared to conventional non-lethal ammunition.
Non-lethal ammunition is typically launched with a kinetic energy that will produce non-lethal effects upon target impact. Weapons such as the Objective Individual Combat Weapon are designed to fire projectiles with kinetic energies far greater than non-lethal projectiles of the same caliber. The weapon operating system and fire control are designed to function with projectiles which have a specific recoil impulse and trajectory. There is a great and still unsatisfied need for firing non-lethal ammunition from weapons such as the Objective Individual Combat Weapon. The recoil impulse and trajectory of the non-lethal ammunition needs to be compatible with the standard combat ammunition recoil impulse and trajectory to fully utilize the weapon""s capabilities.
One feature of the present invention is to satisfy this long felt need to provide a non-lethal ammunition with a recoil impulse and trajectory that is compatible with conventional combat ammunition. The present invention accomplishes this by using a projectile of an equivalent mass, muzzle velocity and trajectory to achieve weapon powering and provide compatibility with the sighting system.
The present invention also uses a bursting charge and dense powder payload to control the kinetic energy of the residual projectile components upon projectile detonation at the appropriate burst point from the target. The burst charge increases the forward momentum of the dense powder payload and non-lethal payload while decreasing the forward momentum of the residual projectile components. This momentum exchange produces a residual projectile component kinetic energy that is at a level which will produce non-lethal effects should any of the residual projectile components strike the target. The kinetic energy of the dense powder is rapidly dissipated due to the high aerodynamic drag characteristics of the powder. The non-lethal payload may also posses a lethal kinetic energy that is reduced to a non-lethal level by aerodynamic drag as the non-lethal payload passes from the projectile burst point to target impact.
The inventive projectile configuration allows high velocity, high kinetic energy projectiles to be launched from weapons such as the 20 mm Objective Individual Combat Weapon; 25 mm Objective Crew Served Weapon; 40 mm M203 grenade launcher; 40 mm MK19 grenade machine gun; 105 mm and 155 mm artillery; 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm mortars; 2.75 inch rockets; 12 gauge shotguns; and other weapons and calibers, while producing non-lethal effects at the target. The invention allows high velocity, long range and precision delivery of non-lethal payloads without the need to modify the weapon or sighting system.